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Soviet Federation
The Soviet Federation is the largest and most active federation on the planet Kebir Blue, currently holding more than twenty-five active members. It was established in 2977 as an autocratic defensive organisation, but has since evolved into a fully democratic union with regular elections and referenda. Since 3221 the organisation has been led by the Federal States of Plato, representing the political affiliation the Labour Party. The federal capital is Aiur, in the United Soviet Empire. It is affiliated with the common market SovECON. History While the history of the Soviet Federation can be broken into five sections, "The Directorate" (2977-3011), "The Confederacy" (3011-3137), "The Centralem" (3137-3251) and "The Provisional Government" (3251-3284), and the "___", there are many much singificant periods within each, characterised by other major poitical, economic, and social conditions. 'Initial History (2977 - 3010)' Created in the late 2970s by Stalin, the Soviet Federation is designed to bring together various members from around Kebir Blue to form a solid defensive bloc, economic stability, and a place to discuss socialism. As the leader of the USSR, Stalin hoped to unite various socialist states across the planet, but initially focused in building up a base in his home region of Eridana. Initially there was no clear enemy from which member states were seeking refuge, but by the turn of the 31st century it became clear that the Protectorate and the Soviet Federation were the two most influential powers on the planet. After more than a decade as the chairman of the organisation, Stalin appealed to long-time member Spek to take over the position, which took place in 2991. Vanqar Soviet Republic, a province of the United Autonomous Republics, brought the size of the Federation up significantly and, in cooperation with the former IND Commonwealth, created a new common market which has contributed to steady growth and further integration. In 2992, the flag pictured above was adopted as the official ensign for the Soviet Federation. The lone star is said to represent the Soviet Federation as the sole protector of socialist and communist ideals on Kebir Blue. Spek, upon unveiling the new flag, remarked that "this simple image will unite our members in our struggle against imperialism and capitalism. Let us not forget our common cause as Soviets!" During this period, Qavran was selected as the capital of the federation, and spectacular capital buildings were constructed in the centre of the city at the end of 2995. Spek's focus throughout the last decade of his leadership was to expand the role of the member state in the wider affairs of the federation, eventually through opening free and fair elections and many new political posts. 'Reform and Expansion (3010 - 3030)' In 3010, Spek introduced a process of demoncratisation that took about two decades to entrench. That year, he also announced his decision to step down as the leader of the federation, hoping to bring in the talents of another burgeoning leader, Ringo, who is the leader of the United Soviet Empire. In 3010 an election campaign between the Soviet Empire of the Leaf and the People's Republic of Rezalan resulted in a 6-4 victory for Ringo. In January 3011, Ringo began a 7 year term as chairman. {C}Since then, the growth of the common market increased modestly as many of the members of the Federation are members of other common markets and cannot break their existing contracts. Membership worked very hard to try to recruit new nations, but in general there were few good candidates that matched the practical and ideological criteria. Ringo's term helped to solidify the positive economic trajectory and expand the defensive union, and saw a signficant rise in the number of corporations that have been effectively established. Ringo's leadership has been identified primarily as one of economic restructuring, and has been reviewed positively by all federation members. At the end of his term in 3018, he declined to run for re-election, leaving the race between the Socialist Union of Farr and People's Republic of Rezalan. In 3020 Ms Emily led an initiative to adopt a short official motto, suggesting "We, the vanguard for socialism, will smash oppression. NOT ONE STEP BACKWARDS." A vote in 3020 accepted the new slogan. Concurrently, overtures were made between the Farr and Democratic Republic of Plato of the United Alliance of Independent States. A merger, which was expected to take place before the 3025 election, was finalised in 3020 when the members of the UAIS formally joined the Soviet Federation. During Farr's leadership, the Spek of the UAR tabled a Charter of the Soviet Federation, which was approved in a referendum in 3025. In 3025, Devlin was acclaimed as chairman of the federation for a seven-year term. During his term, the federation focused on the formation of an executive committee, with various referenda creating and filling new posts. Several new member states also joined the federation during this period. Although only in power for five years, Devlin made significant changes to the federation's political structure. Since 3030, Keppy of the Democratic Republic of Damstu has been leading the organisation. 'First Keppian Era (3030 - 3048)' Following her 3030 victory, her first act under was the merger with the Azurnereich Federation, bringing the Soviet Federation membership count up to 23. Following this, referenda were carried out to finish the Executive Committee and to form a new organ of government, the Parliament of the Soviet Federation. In 3035 the first session of parliament was carried out, with five members in attendance. Following the flurry of activity in the early 3030s, Keppy was reelected after narrowly defearing two opponents. In the next few years, the federation "cooled down" so that members could focus on domestic issues. With the federation capped out at 25 members in 3037, the focus turned to what to do next. A decision was deferred by parliament until the next session in the 3040s. However, an unexpected war declaration in the summer of 3038 resulted in an emergency parliament held in Septeber. Discussions surrounding the Republic of Chelonia and alleged connections to the Protectorate were brought to the fore. In the decades since minimal information is public due to its sensititivity, though eventaully Chelonia was evicted from the federation. In 3041 Keppy was reelected for an unprecedented third term. She ran on a platform that was dedicated to working closely with the membership on a variety of issues. Her first statement after reelection was that she would not consider running for a fourth term; however, she stated her intent to take the full limit, giving her a total of 18 consecutive years as chairperson. Keppy presided over the referenda on the great expulsion of 3045, the removal of several inactive members of the federation. In 3047, just before the General Election, Keppy announced the creation of the Soviet Service Star, a medal to commemorate leaders who express bravery, innovation, and dedication to the proliferation of socialism. Her terms are viewed as remarkably positive by the general public of the federation. As leader, she brought about both stability and progress, justifying her 87 per cent approval ratings. 'Red October (3047 - 3048)' The 3047 election was the most hotly contested vote in Soviet Federation history. Soviet Socialist Chiava, which won 52.3 per cent of the vote, narrowly defeated Wisconsin. On 7 October peaceful demonstrations spontaneously erupted in major cities across Azurnereich, supporting the government's position in selecting Chiava as the new chairperson. On the same day, a crowd of nearly 600 000 gathered in Qavran, the capital of the United Autonomous Republics and the Soviet Federation. Unlike the outward show of support in Azurnereich, the protesters in Qavran were actively demanding the right to popularly elect the chairperson. In December tens of thousands of citizens of Michigan, a former member of the United Socialist States of America, expressed their support for Wisconsin, but were met with violence from the revolutionary government. In response to the crackdown, Wisconsin opened borders and prepared an expeditionary force. The smallest demonstration, which took place in the Democratic Republic of Damstu, numbered about 1200 and was met with an open dialogue with the Supreme Soviet, broadcasted live on the Damstu National Broadcast Commission. As a result, the population was asked to make the selection for chairperson, with 62.7 per cent in favour of Wisconsin. The whole series of events was later termed "Red October" by Spek, even though the demonstrations lasted in various forms from October to February. As a result, Spek tabled a working proposal on electoral reform. While no attention was given to this during John's term, the election of Devlin in 3053 marked a signficant turn for this and other initiatives, with the introduction of "Mixed Proportional Performance System". This is designed to allow for a certain number of votes to be granted to a president based on a predetermined formula. The system, which was collaboratively developed by Azurnereich, the UAR, New Republic of Wisconsin, and People's Republic of Rezalan, was endorsed by all members of the federation before a vote in 3057. The first elections to carry this system were in 3060. 'Great Divide (3048 - 3083)' The more than three decades between Keppy's first and second tenures was very troubled, termed by Spek the "Democratic Arms Race" and the "Great Divide" by Keppy and Devlin. Progress slowed significantly during this period as the focus of politics centred on a growing rift between two heavyweights in the federation, Wisconsin and Chiawa. Nonetheless, some important changes were instituted during this turbulent time. Devlin's first act was to reduce waste by merging the Burinform and the Dipliais in 3055, and attention moved swiftly toward revamping democracy in the Soviet Federation. Electoral reform change was endorsed by a wide majority of presidents, and has become well-integrated into the federation system in the decades since 3060. One of John's main ideas was to develop space capacities and to implement military restructuring. His short term in office proved to be very colourful, with a significant amount of participation, though much of it mired in divisive politics. While John presented many powerful ideas, many did not receive him well personally. Nonetheless, he was able to start many key conversations that will undoubtedly produce marked changes in the future of the federation. Perhaps his greatest legacy, though completed after his term ended, was the negotiations of an intergalatic peace treaty. A major initiative during the later 3040s and early 3050s was the procurement of an alliance with federations on other planets. In 3048 Spek was approached by the White Giant federation NATO. Talks began quickly, with a strategic agreement drafted within 5 years. In 3054 the federation membership voted on the agreements, aptly termed the Accords of Qavran-Tamarac. Negotiotions are ongoing to find a third party from either Golden Rainbow or Little Upsilon. In 3060 an election was held which brought Soviet Socialist Chiawa back to the position as chair. After four brief years in office, he asked to be reelected, but was defeated by Wisconsin in another closely contested race. Many presidents who voted for Wisconsin contended that John was "resting on his laurels" rather than trying to bring new and fresh ideas to the table. As for Wisconsin, his platform was brief and relatively unclear, but he was able to bring some unity to the position. One of his first acts as chair was to remove several of the inactive members. From there, discussions centred around two major ideas: the selection of a new federation capital; and ways of encouraging more activity and growth. A referendum was held in 3065 which selected Valhalla, Azurnereich as the new capital. In the middle of Wisconsin's term, in the fall of 3068, a telegram surfaced from the recently departed Kaput Republic. Aptly termed the Kaput Telegram, it sparked a serious and contentious feud between Wisconsin and Chiawa, which took twelve years to resolve. The Kaput Incident fuelled charges for constitutional reform, which are underway. As part of the tentative agreement struck in the fall of 3068, Wisconsin announced his intention to not seek another term, opening the door for Soviet Empire of the Leaf to be elected in a rare four-way election in 3069. During Ringo's term, the UAR engaged in negotiations with the United Imperial Democracy, a small federation, resulting in its acquisition by the Soviet Federation. This took place formally in 3072. Many federation members, particularly the Azurnereich Empire and the UAR, spent a lot of time organising the centennial celebrations for 3077. The events were mammoth, with parades, military exercises, informal local debates, music, and a synchronised fireworks show live from both Qavran and Valhalla. In 3081 Keppy created a new medal, the FHM, to commemorate 100 years of dedicated service to the federation's veteran, Vanqar Soviet Republic. This coincided with a mammoth announcement from Spek that in July of that year the UAR went nuclear. By the start of the 3080s it was clear that the Soviet Federation was now back on track. A referendum was held in 3081 to make a decision about secret ballots for elections, just in time for the 3083 election for chair. The motion passed, by a very slim margin. At the same time, a merger was negotiated between Ringo and the leader of the Union of Allied States, a smaller federation. At the time of acquisition, the Soviet Federation complex contained 28 nations. 'Dispute Resolution (3075 - 3078)' Concurrently, attention was focused on the out of control situation between Chiawa and Wisconsin. 3071 saw the creation of the IRComm, or Internal Reviews Committee, which investigated the rift. All three of the accused were allowed to pick a representative, and another was chosen by secret ballot. The four judges took three years of intense labour to produce a ruling, which was accepted by the entire federation. In 3075 it produced a document titled, "The Kaput Incident and Related Events". The contents of the document are classified and not to be released, but it is widely known that it led to the expulsion of Soviet Socialist Chiawa from the Soviet Federation in 3078. The document did not recommend that John be kicked out, but it did declare that a referendum was required to be held. He was ejected by a vote of 11 to 6. Since John was the Finance Executive at the time, an election was held which brought the People's Republic of Rezalan to the position. Smaller penalities were levied against Wisconsin as well as Ms. Emily of Socialist Union of Farr. Although John was evicted from the Soviet Federation, Keppy invited him back in 3085 when she became chair. This gesture was emblematic of the spirit of the IRComm report in not making a recommendation for Chiawa's expulsion. 'Second Keppian Era (3084 - 3100)' In 3083 Ms Keppy won by a very narrow margin against Westam. This was her fourth term as chair, and also marked a return to politics for her, having never served as an executive in any other capacity. Her campaign was relatively simple, but resonated with most voters. Her competitors were Zach, who agreed with most of Keppy's revolutionary new policies, and Ms. Emily, who caused controversy by taking an unpopular stance on minimising military funding and restructuring of the executive. While the race was close between Zach and Ms. Keppy, Ms. Emily won a meagre 21 per cent of the vote. The first act that Ms. Keppy made in office was to limit the penalties given to Wisconsin. In fact, the 3085 executive committee included Wisconsin. This new executive was unprecedented. Where normally turnover in the organisation was due to departures, Ms. Keppy brought in a new strategy. The primary focus was bringing in new talent; however, another motivating factor was to rotate members and prevent stagnation. In fact, three new members were added to the cabinent in 3085: New Republic of Wisconsin, Soviet Republic of Westam, and the Communist State of Kinsek, interestingly, these three states would go on to be the next three chairs of the federation. The 3088 Election was framed by a single issue, and the membership was divided. Ultimately Keppy was reelected, but the margin was less than 2 per cent. The second term was dominated by intense diplomatic issues, much of which were expounded in the early 3090s, leading to her reelection in 3094. The first issue that came to the fore was the renewing of the Accords of Qavran-Tamarac, which was formalised in 3097. Moving toward restructuring the executive became a key imperative, but the new constitution was delayed by the Democratic Republic of Plato. In 3098 upon her nation's 100th anniversary, Keppy declared that she would not be seeking another term. 'From Recession to Reform (3101 - 3137)' The transfer of power between Keppy and the new leader, Philip, took place on New Year's Eve in New Madison, which had recently been declared the new capital of the Soviet Federation by Keppy. While Philip was elected on a platform of reinvigoration, he became ill in 3105, leading him to decide that he would not run for a second term. During Philip's term as chair, he focused on attemping to balance some of the economic problems in the SovECON. Many countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Plato, Wisconsin, the UAR, Soviet Socialist Chiawa, and Rezalan were experiencing protracted depression and came out of them during this period. In 3107 Wisconsin was elected chair for a second term (having served in the late 3060s). Upon assuming the position he had to vacate his post as Dipliais, leaving the position to Devlin. Immediately thereafter discussions about future alliances were brought to the fore. While in this term a motion managed to pass regarding opening a channel with rival federation, the Protectorate, nothing ultimately became of this. Until the decline of the federation in the 3170s, a rather hostile relationship continued. In 3114 Westam was brough into office in the aspiration that he will work with census and finance to resolve the economic crises that span the federation. Unfortunately, he spent much of his time as chair abroad on missions attempting to build dimplomatic ties. Many domestic problems were left to the rest of the executive, often without adequate direction. The People's Republic of Rezalan was elected chair in 3126 on a reform platform, notably the introduction of economic regulations. Upon assuming office in the summer, Dave immediately changed up the executive and the IRComm, bringing in some new talent including Vladehorn of Aquitania and the New Soviet Union. Following the release of a long list of economic recommendations, a vote took place to create a new body, the Soviet Federation Regulatory Finance System, based off a speech delivered in Orwell, Democratic Republic of Plato. In 3130 the Soviet membership voted on a creating a joint parliamentary session, the Interfederation Congress. This proposal was controversial, but managed to pass referenda in both federations, marking the importance of the relationship between the Soviet Federation and NATO on White Giant.. The next year a proposal to dismantle the SovECON (initially brought forth by the Socialist Union of Farr) was shot down by general membership before making it to voting. Instead, Keppy suggested reframing the question to hold a summit on the future of the common market, a measure which was widely supported. Since Dave did not desire a second term in office, he left the matter of the new Soviet Constitution to the next president. In 3133 Devlin was elected to a third term as president. He campaigned on a promise to bring into effect the new Soviet Constitution, a document which he had authored during the 3120s. Upon being elected, the first item undertaking was to hold the first Interfederation Congress, which was a huge success. Immediately thereafter, talks began regarding the implementation of the constitution, ultimately resulting in the collapse of the Confederacy in October 3137. It was replaced by a far more centralised government and the introduction of party politics to the federation for the first time. 'Reshaping Democracy (3137 - 3182)' After the passing of the Constitution in May of 3137, political parties were formed in the Soviet Federation for the first time in its history. The first organisation to be created was le Front Solidaire, formed by many leading activists, politicians, and intellectuals in Qavran, UAR. In July Azurnereich's governing party created a carbon copy at the federation level. Called the Federation Social Democratic Party, this organisation is quite leftist in its leaning and geared towards high-tech economies. In September Devlin and Dave co-founded the Clann na Poblachta, a party based on social cohesion and the ideology of populism. Right before the election the New Republic of Wisconsin established a fourth party, the Soviet Economic and Military Alliance. Le Front Solidaire won the first election in October 3137 with about 30 per cent of the vote. Spek's major accomplishment was to gain consensus on renewing the Accords of Qavran-Tamarac. However, he was unable to name Orwell as the permanent capital of the Soviet Federation. Spek, facing some critical problems in his own republic, KSSR, decided not to aim for a second term, giving the nomination of his party to Dave of Rezalan for the 3144 General Election. In the fall of 3144 Azurnereich's Federation Social Democratic Party was elected to a minority mandate in the Soviet Parliament. Within the first year of Doug's leadership he managed to establish a unity government, with all parties participating in the cabinet. In 3147 the economy on Kebir Blue experienced a minor recession. Combined with the financial problems of the UAR, Jadir Soviet Republic declared independence from the confederation in September, being granted permission to leave the UAR immediately. Kadran Surfax Soviet Republic followed suit in November. Many other economies, such as Rezalan, Wisconsin, and Azurnereich, experienced damaginng downturns. As such, the cabinet convened to talk about managing the crisis. While the FSDP was elected to a second mandate, a new party, the United Revolutionaries, initiated a vote of no confidence in late 3053, causing the government to fall. Another election in 3054 resulted in a minority government for the CNP. During this period talks began with a friendly federation and the topic quickly turned to a merger. In that situation, the Front Solidaire sought to consolidate political parties in order to make space for the new ones that would inevitably be produced through interfederation unity. In 3160 the Front Solidaire merged with both the United Revolutionaries and the Communists of the Federation. Although the merger ultimately fell through, the party merger lasted. The end of the era of Reshaping Democracy occured in 3160 with the first ever majority government. In 3060 the first ever majority government was elected in the Centralem. The amalgamation of the Front Solidaire and the relative collapse in support of the FSDP and the CNP created a runaway situation for Zach. Winning over 50 per cent of the vote, the Soviet Republic of Westam became premier with the strongest mandate in the Soviet Parliamentary history. During his five years as premier, Zach introduced legislation creating a new unified census department, though it soon became unclear how this would be managed. Moreover, he was unable to pass the unpopular bill about cutting ties NATO. Many FS representatives opposed the idea and voted against the party line. In 3165 he was not reelected, in what has been the closest election of all time in the Soviet Federation. Instead, the CNP returned to leadership, this time under a weak mandate from People's Republic of Rezalan leader, Dave. Despite his weak position, Dave moved forth with his agenda as a minority government. His first motion was largely non-partisan - to bring back the use of open ballots in general elections - and it succeeded. Following this, he moved to establish, in 3170, a special commission for the bicentennial of the Soviet Federation. This item, too, managed to pass successfully. Dave's six years in office offered hope that minority governments were capable, through hard work and cooperation, of achieving greatness. In 3172 the Front Solidaire was elected under Ms Emily, though the government polarised public opinion on frequent occasions. A vote of no confidence in the winter of 3175 brought the government down. Perhaps the most significant election in the history of the Soviet Federation, the 3175 election centred around the role and shape of Soviet democracy. With the collapse in support of the FS, the CNP and the Social Democratic Party finally came to distinguish themselves more effectively from one another. In a debate hosted in Adanac, the three party leaders articulated their platforms before the contentious vote. Ms. Emily suprised everyone with her performance, and much to everyone's amazement, the FS came in second place in the election. Doug's FSDP was elected and established a coalition government with the CNP under original party leader, Democratic Republic of Plato. Initially the focus of the government was on celebrating the bicentennial of the federation. Spek's historical commission conducted polls on the society and politics, concluding that the most exciting period in Soviet Federation history was indeed the Great Divide (3048-3083). Following the massive celebrations, attention was again shifted to running the federation. The FSDP/CNP coalition concerned itself primarily with reform to political structures, much to the dismay of the FS, which lobbied unsuccessfully against the government. In 3081 a special cabinet meeting was held in Valhalla, Azurnereich to discuss the future of Soviet governance. In addition to exciting development within the Soviet Federation, news broke that longtime enemy and rival federation, the Protectorate, was crumbling. This came as great news to Soviet citizens across Kebir Blue many of whom were excited that this lined up with the 200th anniversary since the founding of the Soviet Federation. While the Protectorate still exists, it has lost its leadership and the organisation's economic and political influence has disappeared. 'Occupy Adanac (3157 - 3158)' On 27 July demonstrators from across Kebir Blue met in Adanac, the new capital of the Soviet Federation. Protestors took to the streets demanding economic reform, and would soon be termed Occupy Adanac. While the economic reforms of the 3120s proved to be very successful, many states began experiencing the worst financial crises they've ever seen. A famous newspaper article from the Damstu daily, The Revolutionary, stated: "the economy of the UAR was so badly damaged that two of the countries seceded from the union. In Damstu the economy has never entered a recession and now losses are in excess of $15B per month. This is entirely unsustainable". Many members of the Damstu asked for federation action. Within a matter of days, members from the international community arrived. "Delegates" of several countries across the federation arrived, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Plato, Fuso Soviet Empire, USE, and the Socialist Union of Farr. During the first two weeks of the conflict the majority of the demonstrations occurred in the Old Port, the Fairfax District, and in the Radvol Quarter. A police crackdown on 10 August caused nearly 200 casualties and more than a thousand citizens of various countries were arrested. In response, the demonstrators entrenched, setting up what they termed "permanent encampments" in East Adanac. In addition to setting up temporary structures, the demonstrators occupried Tower 98 in Soviet Square. From inside the building the group conducted its logistics. In response to the brutality, the police commissioner was removed from her post in the first week of September, and the city came under the direct management of the government of the Democratic Republic of Damstu. Adanac's new "Management Task Force" initially handled the situation by staying to the sidelines, opting for a series of informal negotiations between occupiers and the state during the fall of 3157. While demonstrations reached an apex in February with about six hundred thousand participants, the movement ultimately proved successful when the government of the federation met with Occupy Adanac, promising to solve economic problems. 'Stability under Blackwatch (3182 - 3207)' Attempts by the FSDP and the CNP to change the political structures of the federation, though well-intentioned, failed to gather steam in the federation during the late 3170s. Since 3137 many complaints had surfaced that the political structures were slow and not conducive to change. This argument was essentially laid to rest with the election of Blackwatch as leader of the FS in 3182. In that election, both the FSDP and the CNP were rejected in a rare five-way election, finishing in third and fourth place respectively. The FS, which dissolved its merger with the UR and the CF, managed to win an astoundingly strong mandate under Tony's Blackwatch. Tony formed a coalition government with second-place finisher Ms Emily of the New Democratic Party. Following a cabinet meeting, the new government set out three key areas which it intended to address in turn: economic performance, the NATO alliance, and defending the political system. On all three the fronts the coalition was successful, managing to establish a firm understanding of where the federation's priorities lie. Despite some challenges to moving legislation, Blackwatch's leadership was viewed largely as the first part of a lager success story. In the winter of 3190, le Front Solidaire again won the largest share of the vote, ultimately forming the second ever majority government in the Centralem's history. In an unexpected move, Devlin dissolved the Clann na Poblachta claiming that the party was no longer relevant to federation politics. In addition, Devlin decided to take a break from politics at the federation level in order that he could focus on his growing country, Federal States of Plato. During this second term, three motions were successful in parliament - selecting a new capital, establishing a special committee, and renewing the alliance with NATO. The only motion that failed was a private member's initiative brought forward by the UAR concerning the declassification of the IRComm reports from 3075. In 3196 the Front Solidaire was elected for an unprecedented third term. Running on a similar platform, but now seriously considering constitutional amendments, Tony was reelected, albeit with a minority mandate this time. The FS formed a minority government, counting on support from the NDP. Ms Emily, NDP leader, refused to form government with the FS stating that "so long as the FS wants to alter the constitution of 3137, we will not form a coalition". Several items were debated during this term, with very high levels of democratic activity across the federation. The aforementioned bill to increase the maximum allowable term length of government from seven to ten years produced serious controversy, ultimately resulting in an exceptionally close vote. It was a requirement of the legislature to produce a two-thirds majority, which they failed to attain - 43 per cent of Soviet citizens voted down the proposal, and in a ceremonial vote in Soviet Parliament, the motion failed to attain the 50 per cent threshold. Before his term ended, he introduced an item from Ms. Emily regarding fixed Interfederation Congress (ICP) dates. The motion easily passed, but caused some commotion within NATO regarding just how close each meeting should be. The compromise was ten years. Before the next election, a conference held between the United Autonomous Republics and the Socialist Union of Farr resulted in the creation of the first sports organisation in the Soviet Federation - the Soviet Federation Hockey Association. In 3202 Blackwatch was re-elected to a majority mandate. With control over more than half the seats in Parliament, the Front Solidaire was almost unopposed by the FSDP and the Communists. The NDP, however, held a third of the popular vote and remained a critic of FS policy. It soon became clear that Tony's last term as premier would be devoted to coming up with electoral reforms that would give small states a better chance at determining Soviet policy. This was articulated in the 3202 Platform of the Front Solidaire, but many presidents who supported the FS, namely People's Republic of Rezalan and United Autonomous Republics, did so with the caveat that no reforms be made without thorough consultation. Upon assuming office, Tony passed a motion to hold a summit on electoral reform. A similar bill failed decades earlier, but this time it passed. This occurred despite much vocal resistance from Azurnereich, Rezalan, and the Federal States of Plato. In 3205 delegates from almost every member state of the Soviet Federation attended the meeting to discuss how best to remedy the situation. This followed tense diplomatic relations between Doug and Tony, including the severing of trade ties, the closure of embassies, and threats of violence. 'Political Crises (3207 - 3284)' In the fall of 3207 Blackwatch's fourth term as Premier of the Soviet Federation ended, and his legacy was remembered in small impromptu ceremonies across Kebir Blue. The political climate changed dramatically following Tony's departure. Not only was the FS now led by a new state - Starayan Republic, but the Communists of the Federation collapsed a new political movement emerged, CivMUS, which was led by Devlin. The summit on electoral reform held just two years before the elections did not produce a clear policy, as Tony had expected. Instead, each party adopted a different approach in their platform, hoping to forge policy post-election. The election of 3207 resulted in a dramatic deadlock, with no feasible coalition able to run the federation. Although Doug's FSDP managed to win the largest share of the vote, his government collapsed shortly thereafter. Likewise, Ms Emily, who won the next election, failed to make good on her promise to come to a conclusion on electoral reform. As a result, the 3214 election ended with a victory from a new party, CivMUS. Expectations were high for CivMUS to perform, though during the term political turmoil in NATO dominated the federation's time. Le Front Solidaire returned to leadership under United Autonomous Republics in 3221. Spek, like his forerunners, was faced with numerous challenges simultaneously. His major focus was to build a strong tripartite agreement with the International Revolutionary Protectorate on White Giant, which proved to be highly contentious. At the same time, he had domestic issues that he felt were particularly important, namely regulating free speech in the federation and bringing in new talent. Ultimately, the talks on both items failed to produce legislation. In 3226 Spek called an election and narrowly lost to the newly formed Labour Party. The election resulted in a minority government, one that had some new agenda items. Spek continued to press the government to produce legislation on the aforementioned items. The Labour Party under Devlin quickly introduced a bill to create Soviet Common Law for the whole Federation. It was passed with support from FS. Despite some success on the political front, significant problems with participation and finance persisted. Labour was ousted in the next election, and Spek pushed an agenda of loosening ties with NATO in order to pursue other relationships, such as the IRP, The Unique, and the Kysosivonian Pact. Despite his best efforts, Spek was unable to secure ties, and the relations eventually broke down. As a result, Spek announced his retirement from federation-level politics, and the Front Solidaire, the leading party of the federation, collapsed in 3242. The United Autonomous Republics collapsed a decade later in 3253 when Spek dissolved the union between Mirabel Soviet Republic and Vanqar Soviet Republic. Spek, who voluntarily left his country, disappeared shortly thereafter when he ventured into the Protectorate of North Rezalan to presumably fight against its capitalist government. Labour's next government, a coalition supported by the New Democratic Party, managed to introduce the rest of Devlin's agenda from the 3230s. A new enterprise, the Soviet Economic Bureau, was formed in order to build new corporations through the federation. Devlin also passed some other pieces of legislation, though an attempt to lengthen the term of premier was rejected by the NPD and the Independents. The next election, in 3248 prompted serious change. Upon being elected, Ms Emily of the NDP declared that she desired an end to The Centralem. In 3251 the Centralem was abolished, and a provisional government was established to aid in achieving a peaceful democratic transition to the next era. The government, which was revolutionary in its composition, served to take input from Soviet citzens and the leaders of member states. Ms Emily and Devlin acted as co-leaders. In 3265 a referendum was held to test whether or not the system was deemed functional. The referendum passed in two-thirds of the member states, indicating that there was indeed confidence in the provisional government. Drafting the constitution proved to be exceptionally challenging as finding consesus became very difficult. In the late 3260s earthquakes hit several federation members, inflicting serious damage and slowing the process of securing a new governemnt. Several executive meetings were cancelled, one in 3268 and another in 3270. In 3274 Devlin produced a new draft of the Constitution of the Soviet Federation. After some debate, it became clear that the Soviet Federation would indeed move forward. However, this took signficantly longer than expected, and in May 3277, just after the 300th anniversary of the federation, a special meeting took place in Auir, capital of the Soviet Empire of the Leaf. There the leader of the Starayan Republic, Lego, burst in with armed security agents and delivered a surprise speech in which he declared: "let us not turn to violence, but to a strong, centralised government, the kind originally set up by Stalin 300 years ago in 2977". Following the rousing speech, the security agents surrendered their weapons and were escorted out of the hall and expelled from the country. After returning to Staraya, Lego asked the membership of the Soviet Federation on whether or not he should be elected the new premier. He was narrowly approved by the membership, with 53 per cent support. In his short mandate he fought off charges that he launched a coup d'etat by emphasising that his sole goal was to push through the constitution and develop the next period of Soviet history. He achieved this at the 3282 Summit where the constitution was passed 10-0 by the provisional government. According to his promises, Lego stepped down as leader in March 3284, leaving the door open to the new premier. Elections For a list of elections for chair, view the main article For a list of elections for premier, view the main article From democratisation in 3011 until the collapse of the Condederacy in 3137, there were elections called to determine leadership. According to the charter of the federation, elections give chairpeople a seven year mandate before another election must be called. Many members from across the planet ran for office as chair. In addition, elections were held every 20 years for SovEMC and the Finance Executive. Further modifications were made to the system of voting in 3060, with a new system of Mixed Population Performance. In 3080 secret ballots were introduced for voting in executives. The Soviet Constitution implemented regime change in the Soviet Federation. Since 3137 premiers have been elected in a parliamentary system of government. This produced changes in the executive of the federation as well. Special Referenda There have been many referenda in the history of the Soviet Federation. Below is a list of previous tabled proposals as well as scheduled upcoming votes. 2985 - "Create a Soviet Common Market" (failed 2-6) 2991 - "Acclaim Spek as chairman" (passed 7-0) 2994 - "Select Moscow as the Permanent Capital of the Soviet Federation (failed '4-5) 2995 - "Create a Soviet Common Market" ('passed '5-4) 2998 - "Select Qavran as the Temporary Capital of the Soviet Federation" ('passed '6-3) 3003 - "Endorse universal membership in the common market border countries" ('failed '3-6) 3020 - "Adopt new ideological statement" ('passed 8-2) 3023 - "Create a census bureau" (passed '11-2) 3025 - "Acclaim Devlin as chairman" ('passed '10-2) 3025 - "Adopt federation Charter" ('passed '11-2) 3027 - "Create an economic advisory bureau" ('passed '12-0) 3028 - "Endorse universal membership in the common market border countries" ('failed '5-7) 3030 - "Create a bureau of information and a high commission" ('passed '8-2) 3033 - "Create SovEMC" ('passed 17-0) 3048 - "Adopt an anthem" (failed 7-12) 3054 - "Ratify the Accords of Qavran-Tamarac" (passed '20-2) 3057 - "Institute electoral reform" ('passed '21-0) 3062 - "Start a Soviet Federation Space Programme" ('failed 8-10) 3065 - "Select Valhalla as the Temporary Capital of the Soviet Federation" (passed 11-8) 3068 - "Make progress reports mandatory for the SovEMC, Finance, and Dipliais" (passed 9-7) 3077 - "Create a second federation" (passed '14-4) 3081 - "Adopt secret ballots for elections for Chairperson" ('passed 10-8) 3092 - "Creat a GSLA" (failed '9-12) 3095 - "Renew the Accords of Qavran-Tamarac" ('passed '16-4) 3098 - "Select New Madison as the Temporary Capital of the Soviet Federation" ('passed '11-6) 3111 - "Enter into negotiations with the Protectorate" ('passed '12-2) 3127 - "Adopt the Soviet Federation Regulatory Finance System" ('passed '15-0) 3130 - "Create the Interfederation Commission for Prosperity" ('passed '10-8) 3131 - "Hold a summit on the future role of the SovECON" ('passed '17-0) 3137 - "Adopt the Soviet Constitution" ('passed '20-0) ''From 3137 until 3251 there were no referenda, as all decisions were made by the Soviet Parliament. Following the collapse of The Centralem in 3251, the federation was run by Devlin and Ms Emily as co-leaders. They reintroduced referenda, and the process was the same as prior to 3137. 3265 - "Allow the provisional government to continue" ('passed '''7-3) 3277 - "Acclaim Lego as Premier" ('ONGOING) 3284 - "Adopt the Second Soviet Constitution" (ONGOING) Votes in Soviet Parliament Below is a list of all votes that took place in the Soviet Parliament since its establishment in 3137. Also included are upcoming votes. 3140 - "Renew the Accords of Qavran-Tamarac" ('passed '''187-63) 3142 - "Name Orwell as the Permanent Capital of the Soviet Federation" ('failed '104-146) 3153 - "Establish Confidence in Parliament" (failed 77-173) 3154 - "Name Adanac as the next Temporary Capital of the Soviet Federation" ('passed '182-68) 3157 - "Amend the Constitution" ('passed '172-78) 3158 - "Expel selected members of the federation" ('passed '195-55) 3160 - "Merge with Defensive Nations" ('passed '207-43) 3163 - "Abolish the Accords of Qavran-Tamarac" ('failed '112-138) 3164 - "Establish a Joint Census Commission" ('passed '205-45) 3168 - "Return to the use of open ballots in elections" ('passed '168-82) 3170 - "Form a historical commission in honour of the bicentennial" ('passed '210-40) 3175 - "Establish Confidence in Parliament" ('failed '86-164) 3180 - "Hold a Summit on Electoral Reform" ('failed '90-160) 3190 - "Renew the Accord of Qavran-Tamarac" ('passed '207-43) 3192 - "Declassify documents surrounding the IRComm Report of 3075 ('failed '106-144) 3193 - "Name Aiur as the next Temporary Capital of the Soviet Federation" ('passed '185-65) 3195 - "Establish a Temporary Council" ('passed '230-20) 3200 - "Amend the Constitution" (failed 112-138) 3202 - "Set regular dates for Interfederation Congress meetings" ('passed '147-103) 3204 - "Hold a Summit on Electoral Reform" ('passed '133-117) 3210 - "Establish Confidence in Parliament" ('failed '122-128) 3214 - "Name 27 January as the Dave Memorial Day" ('passed '233-17) 3223 - "Enter into negotiations with the IRP" ('passed '204-46) 3225 - "Adpot the Frenz Accords" ('failed '114-136) 3228 - "Adopt the Soviet Common Law documents" ('passed '177-73) 3230 - "Establish Soviet Industries" ('passed '183-67) 3232 - "Open negotiations with the IRP" ('passed '170-80) 3242 - "Allow the Premier to bypass the Electoral Officer" ('passed '167-73) 3246 - "Extend term limits" ('failed '87-163) 3247 - "Open a commission on reform" ('passed '''212-38) Membership and Executive Since the start of the 31st centrury there have been generally between 25 and 30 active members of the Soviet Federation. Additionally, information is tracked using a census conducted roughly every seven or eight years (starting 3030). This task was first handled by the New Republic of Wisconsin, but there have been many other nations who have taken on this work. In addition to the common membership, there was an Executive Committee dedicated to dealing with specific issues facing the organisation. In 3035 the first Assembly of the Soviet Federation convened. The last branch of government was the IRComm, s a judicial organisation. The executive and the IRComm were both disbanded in 3137, replaced by the Soviet Parliament which has effectively handled the legislative, executive, and judiciary needs of the federation. Accolades There is currently only one honour awarded to outstading presidents, the Soviet Service Star. It has been awarded once since being introduced by Keppy in 3047. In 3081, to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the creation of Vanqar Soviet Republic and its ascension to the Soviet Federation, Keppy proposed a second award, the Federation Honour Medal. It has been awarded to all territories belonging to the federation that have been leaders for 100 years. Past Chairpeople Listed below are the former chairs of the Soviet Federation. Stalin, who led the organisation for 14 years, and Spek, who was chairperson for 20 years, were not subject to election. All subsequent leaders were elected by plurality by members of the federation and were given a maximum of seven years as leader before a new election was to be held. The Soviet Federation has been led by eleven individuals. The Democratic Republic of Damstu was the first chairperson to be reelected to the post consecutively (3030, 3034, and 3041; 3083, 3088, and 3094) and holds the longest non-consecutive period of time as chair. Soviet Empire of the Leaf, the Democratic Republic of Plato, Soviet Socialist Chiawa, and the USSA are the only countries to have serve more than once non-consecutively. The UAR holds the record the longest block term as chair (20 years). Past Premiers The First Soviet Constituion implemented singificant changes for leadership in the federation. The position of Chairperson was replaced by the title of Premier. Since 3137 the following people have led the Soviet Federation. In the first sixty years of the centralem, only three majority governments were elected (Front Solidaire, 3160-3165, 3190-3196, and 3202-3207). Most parliaments formed have been unsupported minorities, which are relatively weak governments. The most effective governmance has come from coalition governments. Currently, Blackwatch holds the records for longest term in office as well as most times elected (either consecutively or non-consecutively). The Front Solidaire won vastly more governments than any other party, and only the CNP, the FSDP, the NDP, CivMUS, and Labour have been governming parties in addition to the FS. Several other parties, past and present, had run in elections, but have not governed. Leaders of the Provisional Government From 3151 to 3284 the Soviet Federation was managed by a provisional government. Drafting the new constitution of the federation was the primary challenge, though maintaining a strong democratic tradition was also a serious matter of consideration. In the mid-3260s the leadership was reaffirmed in a referendum. Emily and Devlin led the federation together, as co-premiers, until 3277 when Lego initiated an impromptu vote to replace them. This government was very stable and served to hold the federation together while serious arguments took place over the direction that the federation would take in the long term, though criticism, primarily from Lego, fostered a sense of urgency in bringing about material change. Capital Cities When the federation was founded in 2977 there were only three members of the organisation. The administrative headquarters were located in Moscow in the USSR for the first twenty years of of the federation's existence. In 2994 a vote was brought forward by Stalin asking for the capital city to be permanently designated as Moscow. In a hotly contested vote, the proposal failed. Three years later several members of the federation pushed through another bill making Qavran in the UAR a "temporary capital city". During Spek's 20 year term as chair of the Soviet Federation it became apparent that the centre of the federation is around the UAR, though Spek repeatedly declared that he would vote down all proposals to make Qavran a permanent capital city. In 3065 Valhalla was selected by a pluarility of members and, in a referendum, it was named the next temporary capital. The same process was repeated when New Madison, Adanac, and Aiur were selected. Since 3137 the Parliament of the Soviet Federation has been located in Orwell, of the Democratic Republic of Plato. Category:Federations Category:Soviet Federation Category:NATO